Census begins in Alaska town
January 21, 2020 12:40PM AKST
By MARK THIESSEN
Associated Press
TOKSOOK BAY, Alaska (AP) – The 2020 census in the U.S. will begin this week in a tiny community in Alaska. It has started in rural Alaska ever since the U.S. purchased the territory from Russia in 1867. This year, the first people will be counted in Toksook Bay, a city of 661 on the Bering Sea. Once the spring thaw hits, the town empties as many residents leave to hunt and fish. The mail service is spotty and the internet connectivity unreliable, which makes door-to-door surveying important. For those reasons, they have to start early here.
